Sydney Comedy Festival

Everyone loves comedy and the Enmore Theatre was packed for Sydney’s biggest night of comedy, Cracker Night, which is part of the Sydney Comedy Festival on Tuesday 25 April 2017.

The 13th Annual Sydney Comedy Festival kicked off with a Cracker Night that featured a dazzling line up of the biggest and best Australian legends, international stars and next-big-things of comedy, including the British-Irish stand-up comedian (and Australia’s favourite) Jimoein.

The night was hosted by comedian Joel Creasey, who entertained the crowd with tales of his experience on I Am A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here and the gay dinner party in his apartment block in Melbourne.

Many of the comedians performing at the Sydney Comedy Festival were given five minutes to entertain the audience. They included comedians such as: Romesh Ranganathan, Andy Zaltzman and Des Bishop who I got to speak to after their performance.

Cracker Night is sponsored by the Comedy Channel and was filmed for television on the night.

The audience left thoroughly entertained. My top pick was Jimeoin who uses facial expression, body language and various accents to tell a joke. I can’t wait to see what his full set has to offer.

The Sydney Comedy Festival will be running from 24 April to 21 May 2017. Performances will be at multiple venues including the Sydney Opera House, the Riverside Theatre at Parramatta and Bondi Pavilion among others.

International performances include Ireland’s Jason Byrne and David O’Doherty, UK favourites Stephen K Amos and Jimeoin, American Arj Barker and New Zealand’s Rose Matafeo and Urzila Carlson.

The 12th annual Sydney Comedy Festival will bring more shows, more laughs and even more absurd hilarity than ever before, when its colossal 2016 program rolls out from April 18 to May 15 across the city and beyond.

With support from the City of Sydney, the Sydney Town Hall joins the Festival with a line-up of epic proportions. Leading the throng is headliner Ross Noble (UK) with his new show Brain Dump, ABC TV’s Good Game Live where the hosts and special guests test their gaming cred and improv skills, and Giant Dwarf’s special fundraiser edition of Story Club, raising funds for Marrickville Legal Centre to help those in need.

Throwing more laughs into the mix is Lawrence Leung with a show exploring mind games and impossible coincidences, Korean clowning and beatbox ensemble Ongals, and Catherine Deveny’s show Pushy Women, featuring a bicycle ride around the city before a riotous show filled with stories from some of Australia’s most fabulous and fiercely funny women.

Sydney Town Hall will also host the Festival’s biggest ever children’s program, Comedy For Kids!, delighting young audiences with interactive fun and silliness during the school holidays at the Jungle. By night, the Jungle loses its PG rating and becomes the Late Night Club hosted by Rhys Nicholson and featuring performers such as Marney McQueen, Andy Dexterity and Brett Bower alongside an array of musical acts, cabaret, illusions and wildly funny sketch comedy.

Taking place at Marrickville’s The Factory will be Australia’s Funniest Shorts, a film festival that provides emerging comedy filmmakers with a platform for the production and presentation of short form comedy. While Redfern’s Giant Dwarf will host Bonus Stage, a live talk show just for gamers including special guests from the world of comedy, television and most importantly, video games.

Providing the ultimate sneak peak at some of the Festival’s most hilarious international and local stars this year will be the Best of the FestShowcase. Taking place across four nights each week at The Factory, the Showcase is a must-see with tickets from just $15.

Returning to the Festival at the Enmore will be crowd favourite, Frocking Hilarious, an un-missable show featuring hilarious female comedians supporting ActionAid Australia’s work to empower women living in poverty to stand up for their human rights.

An abundance of late night fun will also be on offer at the Enmore with the Festival Club Comedy Up Late! delivering a surprise line-up of Festival favourites to entertain insomniacs, comedy die-hards and anyone not ready to call it a night.